1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to protecting pipes from corrosion and to novel adhesive compositions having improved adhesive properties, in particular improved resistance to cathodic disbonding.
To protect steel, or other metal, pipes and pipelines from corrosion, a protective coating is generally applied. The protective coating can be, for example, a polymeric sheet, tape or sleeve of, for example polyethylene, bonded to the surface of the pipe. Various adhesives and mastics can be used to bond the coating to the pipe. However, accidental perforations in the coating often result during installation and use of the pipe or pipeline and expose areas of the pipe to the environment.
Corrosion of a steel or iron pipe when exposed to the environment is due to electrochemical reactions in which the pipe loses iron ions to water in the environment and a localized anodic region is created on the pipe. To prevent the development of these anodic regions and the attendant corrosion of the pipe, an electric current can be imposed along the length of the pipe. The pipe is connected to a negative electrical potential, thus causing the pipe to act as a cathode. In this way, further loss of iron ions is prevented. It is known that adhesive compositions generally used to bond a protective coating to a pipe are adversely affected by this imposed electrical current. The result of this is a weakening of the adhesive bond between the coating and the steel pipe causing the coating to separate from the pipe exposing more of the surface of the pipe to the corrosive conditions in the environment. This phenomenon is referred to in the art as "cathodic disbonding".